Nine Flames is a design inspired by a mythical fox of Japan. The more tails these foxes have, the older, wiser, and more powerful they are. Nine is often depicted as the greatest number of tails one may possess. Though traditionally a nine-tailed fox’s fur is said to turn white or gold, I chose to use fiery colors to tie it to that element and to evoke the likening of a red fox to flame.

According to Yōkai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shape shift into women. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to deceive, other stories portray them as faithful guardians. The more tails a kitsune has—they may have as many as nine—the older, wiser, and more powerful it is.

You love spirituality, mysticism, the teachings of Buddha and the lotus? You need to purchase this Fox Spiritual Animal And Flower Of Life tee for a Zen yoga, Kundalini, meditation, in search of inspiration and enlightenment or as a gift for a yoga teacher, guru or an animal lover.